Mal took one last longing look at leaping and striking at the dragon’s head but they had a deal now and there was only one way to tell if the dragon would hold up his end by seeing it through. Besides the dragon had his entire adventuring party at a severe disadvantage with it’s spells so maybe they weren’t intended to defeat this possible foe.

Mal looked down and saw the moving metal and liquid rock part before him leading a path to the pool of water that the dragon had indicated that he approach and face myself? With a shrug Mal walked over to the edge of the black waters reflecting the many hued lights around the room.

Standing there looking over the dark water Mal was surprised to see no reflection of himself when he leaned over. Wasn’t he supposed to be seeing himself? Then the waters swirled and bubbled and a blue glow came from deep in the pool. Then an image formed as the water stilled, a figure with it’s back to Mal which didn’t make sense to Mal because of the basic laws of physics.

The figure rose and rose through the water until it breached the surface and stood there on the surface of the water as if it was dry land. Still with it’s back to Mal but Mal could see the familiar gear and armor, it was his kit of adventuring gear, identical. Then the figure glanced at Mal over his shoulder and Mal was looking back at his own face but a cheshire cat grin and red eyes marred the normally mild gaze that Mal usually held. Mal was staring face to face with his evil doppelganger.

“And now Mal...you kill yourself!” The evil twin spat at him then it quickdrew his crossbow off his left hip as Mal had done too many times before and killed enemies. Mal recognized it as one of his opening moves and he realized how deadly it was because he barely got his shield up in time to clang away the deadly bolt streaking for his face from his evil self.

Not giving himself a chance to recover the doppelganger charged immediately after the failed shot drawing it’s own Blessed Darksteel Longsword and attacking in wide vicious arcs. Mal retreated bringing both his blade and his shield to deflect the furious onslaught. Mal was shocked by the fury and anger in the strikes as his other self sneered at him over the rim of it’s shield, it seemed his other self was far stronger than he actually was. So not an exactly even fight Mal realized as he was left reeling from the blows.

Mal shifted his stance as he he had learned training with Jake all that time ago when battling the bandit chieftain. This stance allowed you to shift with your opponent's momentum and use it against him. To Mal’s surprise his evil twin mimicked the stance and stood the same way taunting him.

“Ah yes our dear friend Jake, this stance won’t save you Mal, I know all our tricks, hahaha!” The other self jeered at Mal.

Mal’s anger got the best of him and he uncorked his own attack in the face of the laughing and taunting. Powering up his mana blade Mal cut and feinted. He swiped high and low but his other half seemed to read his movements a split second ahead as Mal planned them. Leaping, dodging and blocking the doppelganger stayed one step ahead of Mal.

Then to Mal’s reckless attack there was a counter attack and the evil half slid his blade gently past and over Mal’s shield and left a long raking cut in Mal’s shoulder that rent his armor.

Mal leapt back gasping at the pain as the blood ran freely from the cut. His hit points dropped 10 percent he noted in the corner of his vision.

You are bleeding, this debuff will drain hit points until the wound is treated

Mal took another large leap back planning to swig a health potion to counteract this damage but as he suspected his evil self was wise to his plans. Charging forward and activating Mana shield his evil self used the charged up mana shield as a battering ram and knocked Mal sprawling sending the health potion tinkling away into the shadows.

His evil self stood over him raining blows down upon Mal’s prone form who rolled and blocked desperately trying to stay alive. Mal took another cut on his sword arm and to his leg but then in his panic Mal managed to land a hard kick with his heavy boot squarely on his doppelgangers jaw sending him stumbling back. Mal was able to regain his feet just barely before the battle resumed.

Something clicked in Mal’s head when that heavy kick landed. It was a blow of panic and desperation yes but it was unplanned. Instinctual. That was the only way he was going to have a chance by doing something he’d never done before or by giving himself over to the flow of the battle in such a way that even he didn’t know what he was going to do next.

And the tempo of the battle changed again with Mal charging again in what appeared in a reckless fashion but was actually Mal letting go of his mind and letting his body lead in the familiar dance of death. The blows became even and then Mal upped the tempo again pouring mana into his limbs. Now his doppelganger was retreating before Mal taking shallow cuts here and there.

You have learned the skill battle meditation, The flow of a battle opens up before you like a book you have read 1000 times, and knowing is half the battle

Mal’s doppelganger realized the shift and that Mal had learned something new so he began taunting again to get under Mal’s skin.

“You coward, always seeking a pat on the back!” evil self said with a vicious cut that drew blood. “Always looking to please your parents or your teachers.” Another shield bash left Mal’s nose broken. “You don’t even know who you are you fool, looking to others for your identity!” Another slash that clanged off Mal’s helmet. “You don’t even know who you are!”

The words were truth to Mal who knew in his heart he had been like that before he had truly found himself here in Planus. And sometimes words cut deep.

“I know who I am….now” Mal said and meant it. Mal saw fear in his doppelganger’s eyes.

They took a step back from each other both of their chests heaving from the exertions. Mal noted his health at 35% and slowly slipping from bleeding debuffs. His evil self didn’t look too much better off thanks to Mal’s battle meditation he had landed some solid strikes.

Mal held his sword slightly behind his leg and began pouring mana into his mana blade skill. He didn’t have much left in the tank and he knew this was going to be the deciding clash.

To his surprise his doppelganger said “You know I can free you from this world. You can return to earth and bask in all the silly adulations of getting good grades and being a goody two shoes. Living that shallow life it is in your grasp Mal, you have but to ask me.”

“It speaks truth.” The dragon added

Mal was conflicted for a moment at the chance for freedom as the face of his mother flashed before him but then he glanced at his adventuring crew and his resolve hardened.

“I’ll leave this land with everyone else when I stand over the cold dead corpse of Shiva.” Mal said through gritted teeth.

“Are you sure Mal? Don’t you want to go home to Mommy? Haha, don’t worry I’ll take gooood care of Alison.” his evil self taunted more and Mal noted his other self was charging it’s mana blade too.

Mal’s mana bottomed out but still he put energy into his mana blade and the spell drew off the blood running freely down Mal’s body. He was determined that this strike would end this battle one way or another.

You have learned blood magic! Great power comes at great cost adventurer, beware….

Mal and his evil twin locked eyes “You will be trapped in this world forever, there is no way to defeat Shiva, her power is beyond what you can even comprehend. Imagine you made your own world and you are god of the place that is the type of power she has. Take my offer and be free.” His evil twin almost pleaded.

“Never!” And Mal struck.

BOOOM!

Their blades met in the middle, both charged up, but Mal’s more so and it cast aside his evil doppelgangers strike and severed his head from his evil body in the same movement. There was a pause then the doppelgangers body collapsed backwards and dissolved into the pool of fate.

“Yes!” Alison cheered.

“Well done pup!” Omega chimed in.

“Free me from these bonds stinky dragonkin so I can a be seeing to his cuts.” Taliah added.

“A deal is a deal, I expect great things from you starkissed, do not disappoint me.” The dragon said and waved one of it’s hands and the all the liquid metal vanished.

You are now Commander of the Keep in the Vale of Lost Heroes, construction options available, see your Keep spirit for more information

Taliah hurried over and began casting healing spells on Mal’s deep wounds. Mal had fallen to his knees.

Ding! Rejoice! You have acquired enough experience to progress to level 9, you have 5 stat points to assign plus 3 additional for the Starkissed ability, May your journey continue adventurer!

Mal noted he had gained a nice chunk of experience for learning his 2 new skills and the defeat of the doppelganger put him over the top for hitting level 9. Mal allowed himself a tight grin around the pain of wounds knitting up at this development.

Sounds of battle rang out from out in front of the palace. The unmistakable shouts of warfare and screams of death.

“What the hell now?” Mal said glancing at the dragon.

“Well some of my collection doesn’t quite get along with the rest of my collection of former statues. Blood enemies if you will.” The dragon said sadly.

“Come on!” Mal surged to his feet and gestured to his group to join him in hopefully saving lives as they charged out of the palace.

By the time they burst onto the scene however it was all over except for the bleeding. Many Orcs and Undead lay broken, strewn around the courtyard.

Mal saw the confused looks on many of the freshly awakened faces and was glad he hadn’t ended up suffering a similar fate which had been a close thing. As Mal looked around at these poor souls he also saw an opportunity so he raised his voice and seized the moment.

“I see some of you are confused. You were under a spell and I have just broken that spells hold on all of you. How long you have been here I know not but what I do know is that in breaking the spell that holds you all I have become commander of this keep. And I am in need of good strong warriors and workers to see my vision come to pass. Any who wish to leave you may of course, I would never hold anyone against their will, will maybe an orc.” Mal winked to a few nervous chuckles. “But any who wish to stay here and toil with me for the restoration of this keep to it’s former glory and for the freedom of all beings here in Planus you are welcome to join me and mine. My name is Mal and I hope that you do decide to stay!”

Congrats, your skill in leadership is now lvl 2, I would rather face an army of lions led by a sheep than an army of sheep led by lion, don’t you agree adventurer?

Mal set Alison and Omega to sort out their new followers to see who could do what as well as what skills and levels they had. Omega had somewhere found a clipboard and was very much in his element as the commander’s assitant shouting orders about and taking names down. Mal left them too it and gestured to Taliah to join him back in the throne room, his wounds weren’t fully healed.

Mal sat heavily in the throne for the first time as it was the only place to sit while Taliah continued to cast the deeper healing spells on him. Mal watched the hitpoint percentage slowly climb as some of the internal wounds slowly mended.

“Thank you Taliah.” Mal said simply as he grimaced through the pain.

“Least I could do deary, you did well sonny. We have a certainly proper base now.” Taliah said. “What is this starkissed?” She wondered at him.

Mal laughed. “I don’t even know, it’s something I started the game with by taking a random path.”

“It means you are a rare spirit with much potential and that you have been duly noted and marked by the game’s various AI beings, mainly Atish and Shiva, as such.” The dragon spoke up from beside the throne.

“So Taliah, my mom wasn’t lying! I am special!” Mal joked to the druid. She laughed softly at his antics.

Changing focus Mal turned his head to the dragon by his side. “So dragon what is your name?”

“You may call me Stalyx.” He ground out.

“And you are the Keep spirit, I’m assuming?” Mal followed up with.

“It appears so.” Stalyx said.

“Excellent, now tell me about construction options and anything else you think I should be made aware of.” Mal said feeling much better with Taliah finishing up her healing ministrations.

“One of my absolute favorite topics, Lord Commander, as a being of stone and metal I do enjoy working with materials that make up my core being. Well there is a lot to dig into, how about we start with an overview.” Stalyx waved one of his arms and the pool of fate gurgled to life.

There emerging from the surface of the dark waters a model in miniature of the keep, promontory, lake and the valley in the area near the keep were represented. Mal leaned in and looked closely and could see it was in real time as well this magic because he could see the small forms representing Alison and Omega surrounded by the many beings that had been freed from the stone.

“Wow this is cool.” Mal said exchanging a glance with Taliah. Then as he was looking at the courtyard he noted the dead bodies of the orcs and undead. So he sent Alison a message of his very first order as commander of the keep, to check for loot!! And to dispose of the bodies of course as well. Mal could see Alison perk up at the thought of loot in her response and the annoyance of having to deal with the bodies but Mal reminded her she had people under her command now to help with such things.

“Well there are many and many construction options but I think first things first, you need to have your new followers and your old group officially recognize you as leader and that they are a part of the keep. That way any actions they take such as burying bodies to prevent the spread of disease in the keep or any of a million other such actions will add prestige points to the keep. These prestige points can then be spent in another million different ways. But as they say every journey begins with a single step.” Stalyx informed Mal.

“Well then I guess everyone better form up because I want to get to building as much as possible before the guild arrives!” Mal said sending messages to Alison and Omega to rally everyone in the palace.